The 85-foot pregnant blue whale that washed ashore near her fetus during the weekend at Bean Hollow State Beach south of San Francisco had suffered "internal injuries consistent with a ship strike," said Joe Cordaro, a biologist with the National Marine Fisheries Service.
A necropsy team discovered signs of hemorrhaging in the skeletal muscle and along the right lateral abdomen, and some fractured vertebrae. That there had been hemorrhaging implies that the whale was alive when it was struck.
This brings to three the number of blue whales known to have been hit by vessels off California this year. In August a blue whale washed ashore at San Miguel Island with broken bones and other wounds consistent with a ship strike.
Earlier in the summer, the captain of a Monterey commercial whale-watching boat reported hitting a blue whale that he said had surfaced in front of the boat. The captain said he saw no evidence that the whale had been injured.
About 2,000 blue whales utilize California waters each summer. They're part of a worldwide population of about 10,000. Blue whales are an endangered species.
-- Pete Thomas
I just saw the blue whale today. Looks like the body has decomposed quite a bit and what's left seems to be the blubber. Still quite a unique experience though. Thanks for the post!
Posted by: Jenny | Oct 24, 2010 at 03:36 PM
The exact location of the whale is right. I saw it there yesterday. Directions where really helpful thanks!
Posted by: Michael | Oct 09, 2010 at 11:20 AM
the latitude and longitude GPS coordinates are located on this like for the whale's location. Also there are direct Google Maps links and a QR code for smart-phones.
http://justsickness.wordpress.com/
Posted by: Franco | Oct 09, 2010 at 04:15 AM